WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR: M.J.
Montenegro should take advantage of all the advantages of membership in NATO and show that it is part of a modern community that provides its members with many benefits for progress in various spheres of society, said the president of the Atlantic Alliance of Montenegro, Milica Pejanović Đurišić.
Montenegro became a member of NATO on June 5, 2017, and two days later the Montenegrin flag was raised in front of the Alliance headquarters in Brussels.
Pejanović Đurišić told the MINA agency that the anniversary of Montenegro's membership in NATO is always a good reason to remember everything that preceded it and to think about what the next steps and priorities could be.
She said that during the preparatory period, Montenegro had to fulfill the conditions that guarantee that, as a future NATO member, it will be on an equal footing at the table where important decisions are made regarding security and safety, not the country itself, the region and the transatlantic community, but and globally.
According to Pejanović Đurišić, Montenegro must be satisfied that it fulfilled all these conditions in a relatively short period of time thanks to the great enthusiasm, motivation and desire of all those who were involved in that project.
- We did it. After seven years we can be satisfied. We can confirm that our NATO membership was in the function of guaranteeing the stability and security of the state of Montenegro and in the function of exporting that security to our environment - stated Pejanović Đurišić.
She said that, "not by our will", a series of events took place in the environment that may not be in favor of what was the intention and desire of Montenegro.
- Today we cannot say that the region of the Western Balkans is at the same level it was a few years ago, but Montenegro, as a stable NATO member, can contribute to changing the situation for the better - Pejanović Đurišić assessed.
She said that some opportunities were used in a quality way, stating that the Army of Montenegro (VCG) was improved and that the modernization of equipment had a significant effect.
However, as Pejanović Đurišić added, the wider picture of the membership is "completely neglected".
- This is evidenced by the fact that support for NATO membership in Montenegro is not at an enviable level today, and one of the reasons for this is that we have not worked on it enough - said Pejanović Đurišić.
She stated that in the Atlantic Alliance they are trying to explain to the citizens in the best possible way the advantages and why NATO membership should be supported.
- It is possible that in this period we did not reach enough with our messages to those who do not have the same opinion as us. And that's why I believe that in the coming period, above all, we should emphasize that dimension - said Pejanović Đurišić.
According to her, it was not only the Ministry of Defense, the Republic of Croatia, but the country as a whole that joined NATO.
Pejanović Đurišić said that everyone should be aware of this and try to take advantage of all the advantages of being put on the table.
- One of them concerns the economy, creating a safe environment for investors, further promotion of Montenegro as a tourist destination. All of these are elements that can greatly contribute to what the goal is, regardless of the government in question, which is a better standard of citizens - believes Pejanović Đurišić.
She stated that Montenegro does not sufficiently use NATO's open opportunities when it comes to new technologies.
- Whole new mechanisms were formed, how to further promote, establish and start functioning of these technological hubs. Montenegro did not use it in any way. We owe young people that chance - said Pejanović Đurišić.
She said that NATO provides significant opportunities when it comes to many types of education, not only military, as well as opportunities in the fight against misinformation, foreign influences, and cyber threats.
- All of these are opportunities that have not been used enough, and in the coming period, with the coordinated action of the Government, the academic community, the non-governmental sector, the media, we could reach a higher level and show that we are part of a modern community that provides its members with many benefits for progress in various spheres of society - concluded Pejanović Đurišić.
